Question:
Newbie Question - I've crawled all over this website and Eaton-Fuller's site and can't find an answer regarding the proper use of the clutch brake. I know that you generally only use the clutch brake to select the start-up gear from a dead stop. But, once your got the truck in gear, do you let up on the clutch brake or keep the pedal on the floor until you start moving. Example: You are in a line of slow moving, stop-and-go traffic where you move 10 feet, then stop, move another 10 feet, and so on. Each time you roll up and stop, are you supposed to engage the clutch brake or do you just engage the clutch. Or, your at a stop light, the light turns green and you have engaged the clutch brake to select your start-up gear, but the car in front of you doesn't move. Do you keep the clutch brake engaged or let up to where just the clutch is engaged? Thanks - Joe

Answer:
Originally posted by JoeHDVoyager:
I know that you generally only use the clutch brake to select the start-up gear from a dead stop. But, once your got the truck in gear, do you let up on the clutch brake or keep the pedal on the floor until you start moving. Thanks - Joe
The basic answer is that any time you come to stop just put the clutch pedal comfortably to the floor and leave it there until you wish for the truck to start moving again. It is easier on your leg and you will avoid "riding the clutch" which can cause premature wear out and possible damage to the clutch assembly.
When you get more time in a big truck you will find that most company trucks have that clutch brake adjusted so that you have to kind of mash the pedal to the floor to get it to fully work. This is to help less experienced drivers to keep from accidently enganging the clutch brake while double clutching and potentially damaging the transmission.
BOL (best of luck) to you and happy truckin'.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
Like he said...
You just push far enough to reach the clutch brake to engage the gears from a dead stop. Once you've engaged the gears, you want to keep your clutch depressed enough to prevent contact/friction before you start moving, but it doesn't have to be all the way down since you've already 'braked' the spinning gears and engaged them.
Modern trucks (electronics) have an "automatic" idle control. The throttle will automatically apply to keep the engine from stalling, without actually touching the pedal.
This allows you to slowly release the clutch pedal, with your other foot on the brake, without stalling the engine. The engine computer will try it's darndest to keep the engine from stalling, by applying throttle for you.
As you slowly engage (release) the clutch, you'll feel/hear the engine dig in to maintain it's idle rpm. Then you release the brake and the truck moves forward. Then you apply additional throttle yourself on the pedal to get it past idle rpm, etc......and off you go.
Note: This procedure -- releasing the clutch from a dead stop with your foot still on the brake, is required procedure on driving tests. It's one of many things you do to maintain "control" and prevent the truck from rolling back (for example) on a hill from a dead start. You can do the same thing with the parking brake, like you would in a manual shift car on a hill.
By the way, the throttle pedal has no mechanical link to the engine. On modern trucks, it's a "throttle positioning device" that just sends an electrical signal to the engine's ECM computer (Engine Control Module).

Answer:
what they told us in school.
Depress the clutch all the way to engage the clutch brake. Hold for 3-5 seconds and select low or 1st gear. Gear should slide right in nice and smooth and quiet.
The only time we ever engage the clutch brake again is if while at a complete stop you put the transmission in neutral and leave it there. As long as you are stopped, say at a light and you leave the tranny in gear with the clutch depressed to the engagement point you're ok.
We do it all day long and it works fine. If I'm stopped for a long period of time then I grab neutral, pull the knobs and start all over when I am starting again.

Answer:
From the three responses, it looks like I have two choices. Once I come to a stop and engage the clutch brake and shift into my start-up gear I can either keep the pedal on the floor until I'm ready to move, or else let up (disengage) the clutch brake but not far enough to engage (spin) the clutch plates. For some reason, I got it in my head that keeping the clutch brake engaged for more than a few seconds was a no-no. Thanks again - Joe

Answer:
the feel of it it's really easy.
Oh I used it several times a day, especially when I am trying to downshift and miss a gear or two and have to come to a complete stop. By that time I've been in neutral too long.
Really though it's no big thing. My biggest thing now is downshifting from high range into low range. I get it, but sometimes the gears grind just a weeee bit.

Answer:
while double clutching
======================================
Who double clutches?
Peacekeeper: I don't know if I remember how!
America's original homeland security.....
The 2nd Amendment...
Truck drivers are not considered professionals or skilled labor except when they are on the witness stand.
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Answer:
"Who double clutches?" Not me. I try it every now and then. Seems I forgot how. Besides it feels better and is easier without it.
Some may but mostly new school trainees who want to pass their skills road test.
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:
I got asked to do that on a road test before and I looked like I had never driven before.
Peacekeeper
America's original homeland security.....
The 2nd Amendment...
Truck drivers are not considered professionals or skilled labor except when they are on the witness stand.
www.howtobuyamerican.com


Answer:
is required to pass my skills and road tests.
It's really very easy.

Answer:
ditto cessna im taking my test in the morning and they deduct points for not double clutching, floating and skip shifting i can float it with no probs but they wont let me on the test and we use the super 10 which is designed for skip shifting but nope cant do it
Kevin

Answer:
it sucks my trainer made me do all through the 2 months now I drive crappy mack trucks for WM inc. and the clutch brake in most of them doesn't even work, plus you don't have the time to wait 2 mins. for the trans. to slow down to be able to put it in gear. I learned a little trick from some of the other drivers. These trucks have a speed up switch so that the hydrolic system has the proper RPM's to operate so just before you take off shut of the speed up and wait(it takes alot of practice to do this without grinding) for the RPM's to be just right then pop it into first and slam the fuel if you do it right it will go right in and take off. Sometimes the front end pops and sometimes its real smooth. I don't know if you can do that with a tractor/trailer but if you do I suggest using the lowest gear. Just something I picked up throwing trash. Hey if you know of any good companies that will take someone with 2 months OTR and doesn't make them get out 800 times a day let me know.